Your Views

These pages belong to you. They contain the feedback that many of the readers of shankly.com have sent over the years, since July 1997, that this site has been online.

There are many moving personal reminiscences here from ordinary people who made contact, however briefly, with an extraordinary man.

We have enjoyed receiving every single one of them. Keep sending, and we'll keep publishing!

what an excellent web site you have created. Being 40 years old, a life long Motherwell fan, and born of mining stock myself albeit over 45 years after the great man, I have visited what remains of the village of Glenbuck some 30 minutes from Motherwell and its not a pretty site. One can almost imagine how difficult life must have been for its inhabitants, but not really.
You say it produced over 50 professional footballers. Perhaps it epitomises what is wrong with our game today. Players have it far too easy as they swan in and out of training in their Ferraris earning copious amounts of money, diving in the penalty box at every opportunity, ending up in court, cheating when ever they can, and basically being a disgrace to the beautiful game. Football needs more Bill Shanklys, Jock Steins, and dare I say it Matt Busbys. Honest hard working men, who lived and breathed the game and gave it their all for very little in return.

Pie A Lanarkshire Motherwell Supporter (born 'n' bred)

Ive just finished a book about the great Bill Shankly, and it moved me to tears. If only in this day and age we could transfer Shanklys humilty, kindness, loyalty, respect and dignity to our everyday lives this mad world of ours would be a hell of a lot better place. Bring Bill Shanklys teachings into your life! Long live Shankly!

pato from a Nottingham Forest fan

This is excellent. The honesty of the man brings a lump to my throat. Im not a Liverpool fan but I have respect for their people and traditions. From one Scotsman to another . .
Thanks Shanks

Davie Paton

Although I am a Hearts fan so, being a Scot I can relate to Bill Shanklys passion for football. Its exactly the same as myself.
I firmly believe if that me and the GREAT man had ever met, we would still be talking about Fitba now. We will never see his like again a one off Whereever this game is played and a thousand years from now they will still talk about Bill Shankly. This site is a must for all lovers of football no matter which team you purport to support.
Bill Shankly Youll never walk alone.

John Findlay

Im a Man City supporter born in Stockport.
The tales on here are a true national treasure and this man shines like a beacon in this ever slicker world.

Matt Rayner

I am a manchester united supporter who will admit he was one of the greats of our time hard and fair.

Bill Owens

This site proves that Bill Shankly was nearly as famous as Harry Catterick!!
Enjoyed the site.

Paul Watson

I just stumbled across your site and enjoyed it immensely. Congratulations, and thanks for a very interesting, well designed, and great tribute to Shanks. Steve
(Watford fan)

Steven Cuthbert

CONGRATULATIONS & many thanks.....it is about time the great man was given the praise he deserved on a wider scale than just Liverpool. It was superb to find it.
Ill be back on it often especially when I try to explain to some of our locals in Derby just what it was about the great man that we loved so much.

Billy Graves

I hail from Workington and support Liverpool. Bill managed both. I am too young too remember him but I know from my dad that he was the best manager we ever had. God bless him R.I.P

Shaun Mandale

A fine tribute to the man that brought light into my youth on the terraces at Anfield.
Well Done

My grandfather was around the same age as the `Shanks` and grew up in Ayrshire not far from Glenbuck.
Men like them no longer exist.
Great men which we sadly lack in today`s world.

David Fleming

"My idea was to build Liverpool into yer Bastion of Invincibility. Up and up and up until eventually theyd be untouchable, everyone would have to submit"

Martin F

Shanks was a man for the people, his love of the common man will never be repeated in football.he will never be forgotten.

Gordon Milward

I wonder what Shankly would have made of the Internet ? He would probably have said something like if it doesnae play fitba its nae use to me.

Derek Werrett

I just looked at this site - excellent ... Walk on - BILL.

Bill Bradford

Im a Norwegian Liverpool-fan and have just started to create my own Liverpool-page. Ive been searching for stuff like this. Shankly is THE GREATEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Many thanks!!!

Thot Zakariassen

First of all sorry for my english.
This site is brilliant and gongratulations to those who worked for it.
Bill Shankly once said that: football is not a matter of life or death its much more important than that. I believe for all the true red fans who know the history of this club that Bill Shankly is not a matter of life or death for them its much more important than that.
Bill Shankly is Liverpool f.c.without him. LFC would have been an ordinary club. Kevin Keegan once said that in his opppinion Anfield sould be renamed in Shankly stadium i thing he was right. I know that the club has honnoured him by building the gates after his death and more recently with his statute outside the kop, but the man deserves more than those, even peston n.e. honnoured him by building a Shankly kop. So i think we sould renamed Anfield us Keegan said.
But the greatest think that the club could do for pay honnour to him would be to add his name on the teams shirt. Shankly is the bigest part of the glubs history.

Nassos Siotropos

Thank You for making this fabulous site about the greatest man of all time. WALK ON !

Erik Solheim

My name is Vangelis Kioulafis and im from Athens, Greece. Im 27 and since the age of 7 i have been a liverpool supporter. I have been 12 times at anfield and 2 times at wembley (1989 fa cup final, 1992 charity shield).
Im a great fan of bill shankly. I think bill shankly is the greatest ever man in the history of football. I will never forget when i have visited shankly house and met shanklys widow, nessie. It was tremendous for me, me and my mates from greece sitting in shanklys living room...tremendous.
Congratulation for the site...very good. One of the greatest.

Vangelis Kioulafis

My name is Nassos Siotropos & I am writting you on behalf of our Liverpools Supporters Club based in Athens called Hellenic Branch
Recently on our club office in Athens we invite and we were happy to see the grandaughter of the great Bill Shankly, Karen. Karen has been living in our country for more than a decade and she is married to a Greek man and have two childs.
The atmosphere was very emotional for as but for most to Karen as she saw so many things about her grandfather and bring memories back to her.
Im a great fan of bill shankly. I think bill shankly is the greatest ever man in the history of football. I will never forget when i have visited shankly house and met shanklys widow, nessie. It was tremendous for me, me and my mates from greece sitting in shanklys living room...tremendous.
Congratulation for the site...very good. One of the greatest.

Nassos Siotropos

Bill Shankly was one of those managers who knew that every individual had greatness within him. At Liverpool, he did bring in a string of new coaches. He knew Paisley, Fagan, Moran and Bennett were good enough if they if they knew they were good enough. He got rid of the players who did not want to try and kept those who did. He knew self belief would make moderate talents like Tommy Smith, Ian Callaghan, Roger Hunt etc unbeatable. He was like Don Revie in that way. He knew his club already had the players and coaches needed for greatness, all he asked was that the players and coaches believe it too. I think that is why we will never see his like again.
Footballs too disconnected from ordinary life these days. You cant tell a young kid to "believe in yourself, youll make it" because the highest level of the game is just so far away from an 18 year olds normal exerience that only the very talented can realistically say "yes, I will". Can you imagine a manager today telling the players that football is about a collective unit working together and shring the rewards (Alex Ferguson tells his players that all the time). But can you every imagine a modern manager inspiring his players by telling them thats socialism? Talk life that would get you fired today quicker than you can say "Eileen Drewery". Bill was a unique man but, todays game would not be able to accomodate him. The modern game is all the poorer for that.

Phil Ritson

About 1968 my Uncle Tom Doherty worked near Warrington & he happened to know Tommy Lawrence who was then Liverpool’s goalkeeper. I was football mad & when I came home from school one day there was a parcel in the post for me.. It contained a Football Annual & an autograph book which had been signed by the Liverpool FC squad at the time. From that day to now, I have followed Liverpool FC.
I was sorry to see Tommy Lawrence lose his place, but he lost it to one of the greatest goalkeepers ever, Ray Clemence. The Liverpool team of the early 70s were rebuilding, Smith, Callaghan, Hughes, Lawler and Peter Thompson remained from the 60’s and Lloyd, Lindsay, Hall, Toshack, Cormack & of course Steve Heighway who played for the Republic of Ireland, came into the team. It was a great time to follow Liverpool.
It was the second great time Liverpool have had in recent history. The man who put it together in the 60’s was now putting it together in the 70’s. Others came into the team like Kopite Phil Thompson & the irrepressible Kevin Keegan. Toshack/Keegan & Heighway/ what a strike force!
They won the FA Cup in 1974 with a superb display in the final against Newcastle United.
Then the unthinkable happened in the close season, Bill Shankly retired.
I wrote to him to wish him well & to tell him how much I enjoyed watching Liverpool play. I started a football club in Ireland at the time and we played in Red shirts, Red shorts & Red socks.
Bill sent me on his autograph on a photo of his last Liverpool squad. I know from all I’ve read and heard & seen about Bill, that he was football mad, that he loved genuine football supporters, that he was quick witted & worked hard for the supporters of Liverpool and that he was and still is loved by football supporters everywhere. I can understand how footballers like Yeats, St. John, Milne, Byrne, Stevenson, Hunt and all the others played out of their skins for him.
Bill Shankly died in Sept. 1981 a few days after my father passed away. May they Rest in Peace.
I am sorry I never met Bill Shankly, but I feel I knew him!

John Boyle

Well Done ! A truly superb site. Very well set out giving an excellent account of the great man. I found it entertaining and very informative.

Jimmy

What a site man!! I was almost crying reading it. No doubt about it Shankly was a legend and will never be forgotten, Coming from Ayrshire myself i know how important football is to the lives of the folk down there and Shankly captured that sense and took it to a different level. HE MAY BE GONE BUT HIS NAME WILL NEVER DIE.

Big Bhoy

This is a great web site, and it brought back a lot of fond memories, well done!

Bill McAusland

All I can think of are superlatives which make it sound like cliches. Marvellous. Superb. Magnificent. A great tribute to a great man. And I mean a great man - not just a great footballer and manager. Like so many others Shankly has only been fully appreciated since his death. Hard to believe it was 20 years ago. May his memory live forever.

David Ross

Just discovered the Shankly site and what a site! Well done. Shanks was nothing short of a great man. The things he achieved for Liverpool football club and the way in which he achieved them will never be surpassed no matter how many trophies other managers may win. I was only a small boy when he reigned over Liverpool but I can still remember my father taking me to the games to see my heroes, Keegan, Heighway, Tosh, & Tommo to name but a few.
I never had the chance to speak to the great man but still etched in my mind is the Charity Shield in 1974 for 2 reasons. Firstly Keegan being sent off and Shanks as he walked round the perimeter of Wembley coming over to me as my Father held me up and placing his hand of my head. A moment never to be forgotten.

Steve Ashton

What a great site I cant get enough of it. I am a great Liverpool fan and Shankly was the best ever everything. I even named one of my sons Kevin Ian Emlyn after members of the team. Thanks for the site you have made my day.

Eric Taylor

Your website is great and a tribute to the greatest manager of all time and maybe one day liverpool will get another manager like Bill Shankly not just because we won with him but he was always there for the people and the man is a god.

Rick Burns

I love the website its brilliant keep up the fantastic work you are doing. Im sure Mr Shankly would have been proud of it.
I feel so sad sometime that I never got the opportunity to meet the great man as I was just a todler at the time but his legacy lives on at Liverpool FC and if they are going to build a new stadium I hope they name it Shankly stadium. I really hope and pray Liverpool FC restablish itself has one of the greatest and the most succesfull club in the world football.
If Mr Shankly is looking down from the heavens I hope his fortune shines down on Mr Houllier who has done an excellent job so far and the team.
Once again thankyou for your fantastic website on Mr Shankly and I hope the supporters whether young or old read about the Legend " BILL SHANKLY " God bless him.

Muhammad Junaid

I have just been browsing your website, and loved it! Its a great mix of information about the glorious past - the great players and teams, and of course the great man Shankly - and up-to-date news about developments at LFC ie the proposed new stadium in Stanley Park. I liked the piece supporting the move, and Im sure that Shankly himself would have approved the idea as it will help to keep LFC at the top of the English and European game. I love the idea of giving some nightmares to the gloryboys at the Theatre of Dreams.
Keep up the good work!

Tim Hall

That Shankly reminds me of that person Mickey from the Rocky movies. Same kind of person.

Arne Van Wielink

I am an exiled Liverpudlian. I remember Bill Shankly when he was manager of Huddersfield before joining Liverpool. Norwich Citys goalkeeper, Nethercott, was injured in an F.A. Cup match, and Shankly loaned his reserve goalkeeper Kennon to Norwich for the remainder of the season. This speaks volumes about the man.

Alan Marsden

Thank you for the hard work put into making this site a fitting tribute to Bill Shankly - the man who made Liverpool Football Club believe in itself and fear no-one.
I always remember Brian Clough being interviewed after his retirement. When asked for his views on agents in soccer, he said - "If Bill Shankly had asked a man to play for Liverpool and the player had said he would first have to speak to his agent, Shanks would have hit him....and whats more, I would have held him while he did it."

Bob Crawford

Your web site is of great interest to me as Bill Shankly is a relative of mine. My papa Mr Alex Bradford who was from Logan near Cumnock was Mr Shanklys cousin and as children they were very close. Basically that means that Mr Shankly was my 3rd cousin!!!!
I was young when Mr Shankly died and now that I am older and can appreciate how important he was to both Scottish and British football, I only wish I had made the effort to meet the man.
Now I have a 5 year old son and I have tried to tell him how much of an impact Mr Shankly made on the soccer front. Now my son is a mad Liverpool fan and last year I took him to Anfield to the museum and the Stadium Tour. I dont know who was prouder of the Bill Shankly statue outside the ground, me or my son. He took great delight in telling the tour guide as he has his school teacher and others that Bill Shankly is his 4th cousin!!!!
I think your site is smashing as it celebrates his life as my papa would have known him. Sadly my papa died a few years back however reading your site and knowing of the connection with my papa to Mr Shanklys early years it has given me an insight into the problems faced by him as a child.

Ian Thomson Hamilton, Scotland

HE WAS PART OF OUR LIVES AS FAMILY AND HE IS ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS AND WILL NEVER WALK ALONE IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.

J Shankly

Thanks for the Shanks! I think a large thank-you should be given to you for your time and effort that you have put into this GREAT site. Its great to see fans remember this truely incredable man. To many people forget the past but your site has covered it all making it a GREAT SHRINE rather than just a web site. I think the world would be a better place if we all could think like Shankly! Once again thanks for this great site---from a Liverpool FAN now living in Canada.

Ramsay Duncan

I would like to say first of all What a GREAT site, it is an honour to the great man. I am a liverpool fan born and bread, as far as I am concerned SHANKS is GOD. I have met GOD a few times as my grandad used to be a groundsman at melwood. I was there when we signed Ray Kennedy from the Arsenal, God made are team what they are today, to me he will allways be number one, with Sir Bob just behind.

Phil Green

I cant believe it! Youve just made my day!
I grew up watching Carlisle United from 1964-1987 then moved to the USA. All I heard growing up was how great United were when Shanks was in charge-judging by what he did at Anfield I can see why.
My Dad is a huge fan of Bill, and will be thrilled when I tell him about your site---thanks a million mate!

Doug Stackhouse

Please accept my greatest wishes and thanks to you for a magnificent website dedicated to the "legend" himself.

'Cogarden'

Just a quick note to say how much I appreciated the Shankly site. I am too young to remember him as manager but from the things people have told me, and what I have read on your site he was and still is a great man and will always be remembered.
Once again, a great site and a great tribute - well done.

Rob O'Connor

Excellent site. The best Ive seen in fact. Shankly was the greatest there has ever been.
Your site is a quality tribute to a great man.

Paul Painton

What an inspirational truly great motivator the man was. His rasping scottish voice with passion and eloquence the likes we we never see again made him the best!
In these days of pampered half hearted money grabbing so called super stars Im only glad that the great man never had to deal with them. Not because he could not have handled them, but they are completely at odds with his foundations - HONESTY, LOYALTY AND PASSION.

Sandy

Just wanted to say what a brilliant site. I dont think many people these days realise just how important Bill Shankly was to the success Liverpool enjoyed in the 70s/80s....none of it couldve happened but for him. His attitude and style have defined what playing for Liverpool is all about.
I often wonder had the players weve had recently wouldve fared under his management.

Mark Wells

I now live in America and travel a lot to eastern Europe and want to thank you for creating such a wonderful web-site and one that has given me many hours of pleasure. The great man touched all our lives in some way and it is right that his memory should be kept alive for future generations. The internet provides a marvellous means of doing so and I am able to direct so many to your site. The great man himself would have fully approved of your efforts.......although not of our 5th place in the league. Mind you as my uncle who was a contemporary of Shankly and who introduced me to the game would have said,"we are where we want to be at this stage in the season".
Keep up the good work and I can tell you it is very much appreciated and a great achievement on your part.

Martyn Birchall

... It is my view that Bob Paisley was a better manager than Shankly. I say this without taking anything away from Shanks achievements. Bob Paisley was one of the greatest ever British managers but never really seemed to get recognition for this and was certainly not shown the affection given to Shanks. This remains the case today when people still immediately think of Shankly and Liverpool as one. This situation has always puzzled me, perhaps because I missed the Shankly years. I do not know if the reasons behind this affection can be logically explained or communicated fully to someone trying to undertand it.
Am I correct in thinking that towards the end of his life the relationship between Shankly and the club or the management at the time was a bit stained? It would have been sad if that was the case. I just wish that the current Liverpool side had a manager the quality of Shankly, Paisley or Dalglish ...
Thanking you for a great site

Hugh Guthrie

Just writing to say what a great site. Im a dj and i finish every night with You never walk alone, dedicated to Shankly. Its great to see 1000 people sing along with every word every week. Shankly is the greatest, I wish Liverpool had him now.

Colm McCrory

Shanks Life and death comment is still relevant post-Hillsborough. Without undermining the tragic deaths of that day, or other days that have brought death to football at Bradford, Corsica, Glasgow and others, the richness that the game has brought to the lives of millions around the world, the context and definition that it lends to people the world over and the common humanity and fellowship that football engenders in people lend the words a significance that Shanks himself would not have dreamed of.

Michael

Brill site, very emotive, I doubt that Shanks would honestly believe that football was more important than life itself, but Im sure that he would agree that its alot more important than the cheque you take home at the end of the week! Maybe someone should tell the players this as money seems to be the only motivator! Gone are the passionate days when the red jersey meant something, or that touching the this is Anfield sign on the way to the field made you feel invincible. We are dealing with materialistic egos and the footballs just not the same, you probably think Im some 70 year old whiner, Im 26 years old and like all true Liverpool supporters, I can tell the difference between good and uninspired football.

Paul Smith

Thank you very very much for producing the Bill Shankly site its a real lump in the throat job! I saw Shanks many times but only met him once, outside St Andrews (Birmingham City) in the 1960s when I was about 12.
The quote I always remember was when Shanks was asked what he looked for in a striker and the reply was "Apart from the obvious, a man who is not frightened to miss."

Tony McCrorie

I think this Web Site is awesome !!!
This will ensure that the memories of the great man will live on forever, and for the younger generations to appreciate what Liverpool Football Club meant to Shanks and the people around him during his tenure at the club.
Thanks for all the info, and insights into the life and times of Bill Shankly.

David Liebovitz

I was born in November 1973, so I dont remember Bill Shankly managing Liverpool. Of course, I knew all the stories and had heard so much about him - but somehow he seemed to be detatched from the Liverpool I know. Being a lifelong Liverpool fan, its been quite frustrating to know that I hadnt actually seen this man when he was in charge of Liverpool. Consequently, he seemed a distant figure, lost in the mists of Liverpool History and Folklore. Thankfully though, I found your website.
To be quite honest, the way youve put the site together is fantastic. I spent most of my time at work reading it!!! Now, Bill Shankly seems to be more real to me, and for that, I thank you. Somehow, I cant imagine a bigger compliment to make!

Paul Gill

My greatest memory of sayings about Bill Shankly was when he was manager of Grimsby Town. He had one of his many disagreements with the Chairman who stated "That man is not cut out to be a manager and he will never succeed"!

Bill Osborne

when i woke up from a coma 3 years ago after nearly dying of meningitis, i had time to think and read...since then i have re-read my copy of shankly by shankly several times ..and now whenever i think i am off-line i read extracts to myself, or if i am unsure, it helps me to remember whats important - to believe in the right things and do the right things to avoid pettyness and have hope, and i never walk alone...

Chris

Glenbuck Son
1913-1981
In Glenbuck he was born
From an Ayrshire mine he did rise
The man who would change so many lives
With the Cherry Pickers he played the game
With Carlisle United he first found fame
At Deepdale with Tom Finny he did play
Seven caps for Scotland he was proud to display
As a manager new tricks to learn
To Carlisle United he did return
At Grimsby he cast his net
The Glenbuck sons destiny was set
Workington and Huddersfield he did run
No to Liverpool in fifty one
Eight years down the line
An historic day in December fifty nine
All would fear the famous THIS IS ANFIELD sign
Promotion in sixty two
Champions in sixty four
The Glenbuck son, Kopites did adore
Sixty five, to Wembley in May
The Glenbuck son took the cup away
Now Into Europe he lead his team
To be Champions of Europe was his dream
Cheated in Milan, all was doom and gloom
Now back home in his beloved boot room
The Glenbuck son would sit in a huddle
Seventy-three he won a league and UEFA cup double.
May Seventy-four back at Wembley once more
Malcom McDonald, whats the score.
July, the Kopites heads are down
The Glenbuck son has relinquished his crown.
September Nineteen eighty one
Rest in peace our Glenbuck son
December 1999 we celebrate his memory
Thank you to the, KING BILL SHANKLY
(Dedicated to Ness)

Kenny Bushnell

Great website worthy of the man it portrays. I have been connected with football all my life and although I am not a Liverpool fan I can remember being at Anfield just prior to the Shankly era and during it, what a transformation. I knew a bit about Bill from his days at Huddersfield, the five a side games went on forever or until his team were victorious whichever was the sooner. Shanks was the greatest manager of all time, sure he had success but his appetite for the game, his outstanding personality, his humour, his great knowledge of the game a voice that just commanded your attention. He was the most loved and respected manager of his time, by everyone, he did not have an enemy in the World and if ever a club and manager were made for each other then Liverpool and Shankly were the ones....
...Although I never met him I feel a close friendship with him somehow, I guess its because I so loved his attitude, not only toward the game but to life itself and above all his great wit. Also we should never forget how honest he was, a genuine and sincere man, a players man and a supporters man also. I myself am now 67 years of age, a young 67 I believe and I have both played and followed football for 62 of those years, I would have to say that whenever I think football which is often, Shanks always comes to my mind and how there will never ever be another one like him. Rest in peace Bill we love you and miss you and will never forget you.

John Gregory

bill shankly will always be "Sir bill" to me how that man was never given a knighthood i will never know a great manager...a true man of the people. I grew up watching L.F.C. during the shanks era and remember as a young boy standing in the kop just after he retired and there standing next to me was bill himself he said he wanted to watch a game amongst his own people on the kop, everybody was coming up to him and shaking his hand, what a man!

eddie harvey from liverpool

Bill Shankly lived near my school and one day after he retired he came along to give a fitness training session in the sports field. The last thing he said was indelibly imprinted on my young mind. "Remember lads, it disnae matter what sport ye play be it fitba rugby athletics or whatever, if ye believe ye can beat the other guy then ye can beat em, if ye think ye cannae then yeve nae chance." The man was a true legend.

Mark Daly

I had the privilege of meeting Bill Shankly on several occasions. The first time I met him he was in the canteen drinking tea at a formica topped table along with the apprentices and the young players. The first team squad and the second team squad were in their respective lounges having lunch. Bill Shankly invited myself to have a cup of tea and a long chat.

ken wooldridge

I have an interesting Shanks "anecdote" from a time when Nessie opened the "Shankly Boot Room" at Leeds Road, Huddersfields old ground. Im Chairman of the HTFC Patrons Association but was managing this small room at the time. It was a couple of year before we moved to the McAlpine.
Nessie was being shown around a room which was being used for some low-key hospitality events and had been decorated in memorabilia including photos, old balls & boots, etc.
One display was of the Board minutes showing Bills appointment as Manager and his wage.
"Is THAT how much he was on!!?" Nessie said in horror! So how much he was giving her is unknown! Her daughter was with her that day.
Nessie was a lovely lady.

Graham Hudson

Firstly may I take this opportunity to congratulate and thank you for presenting such a great website, I found the quotes to be pure brilliance mixed with such tongue in cheek humour that Its obvious that Shanks was before his time and left the party too early.
Anyway, back to my main point! My dad, when he was much younger than today, was a pretty good footballer. He is very much like Shankly in many ways in his behavior. When my dad was playing semi professional footie for various clubs he developed a reputation of being tough, energetic and reasonably skillful, so much so that he was approached several times by Everton which as you can probably understand was like being asked to sell your soul to the devil. He flatly refused.
Not long after Bill had started achieving some notoriety with Liverpool (before I had even started school) my dad took me to watch Liverpool train at Melwood, Bill to my surprise and absolute awe, knew my dad...He knew him and even knew of the previous Everton interest. Shanks started to sing my dads praises to me, telling me what a good player he would have been in a Liverpool shirt and also emphasised what an opportunity the previous manager had lost. Bill gave me a glass of orange juice, telling me to eat lots of fish, meat, eggs and veg and to play as much football as possible. Maybe one day Id get the call, but this time it would be a Liverpool rep calling. In adulthood I peaked at five feet and two inches, but that day and every time I think of Bill Shankly, Ill never be less than ten feet tall.

Bobby Sounds

I love the Shankly web site. When I need inspiration or cheering up its the place I go.
I first went to Anfield as a lad in the late sixties and spent a few seasons standing on my wooden box at the back of the Anny Road before being promoted to the Main Stand. When I think of those days - when we werent winning that much but no one moaned like they do now - the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Theyre doing it now! The smell of ale, hot pork pies swimming in fat, ciggies and chewies. The lads chucking the sweets into the crowd with pinpoint accuracy and giving back the change. The blokes walking around the pitch with the advert for boxing at The Stadium balanced on their shoulders. The singing. The crush. The comments and jokes and laughter. Old blokes having heart attacks and people fainting every game. The steam rising from the crowd. The rain - remember the storm at Gerry Byrnes testimonial?!
But back to Bill. These days, though still a red through and through, I go to watch Tranmere - because you can get a ticket and its just down the road. When the Rovers are attacking, desperately needing a goal or when theyre hanging on with minutes left, I always imagine Bills face - and Bobs - I shut my eyes and see their faces. Its an inspiration - YOU CAN DO IT!!!.
I do it watching Liverpool on the telly too.
How can ordinary men have such a lasting effect on a person? But they werent ordinary were they!
I attended a Variety Club dinner with my Dad in Leeds many years ago. It was in honour of Kevin Keegan. Bill and Bob were there. Bob actually sat on our table. How humble the two of them were. But I could see an aura around Bill in particular. He was like a messiah.
Im 45 this year but I dont mind saying this is bringing tears to my eyes. And I havent even had a pint yet!
Cheers lads. God Bless. Walk on.

Brian Howell

I am writing to thank you for a brilliant website on my grandfather, Bill Shankly.
It has been a pleasure to read peoples views and really great to see the pictures of my sister Karen at the day out the Hellenic Branch of LFC supporters club.
In late November and early December I was privelaged to travel to Edinburgh and Preston to receive awards on behalf of my grandad. One for the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame and one for the Football Hall of Fame at Preston. I met some brilliant people, such as Norma at Edinburgh, Jim Baxters partner, Denis Law, Sandy Busby, Vicky Bremner and Barbara Dean, Dixie Deans daughter and Sir Bobby Charltons wife, Norma at Preston and I was extremely touched by the esteem people still held for my grandad .
Again thank you to every one for the wonderful stories and memories.

Pauline Robinson

My Shanks anecdote concerns the aftermath of the never to be forgotten first European Cup win in 1977 (when it really was the EUROPEAN CUP). On the Friday following the Final in Rome Tommy Smiths testimonial match took place at Anfield between Liverpool (or at least those members of the squad who could stagger onto the pitch after the celebrations of the previous 48 hours) and, I think, an England XI. Needless to say the ground was packed as the European Cup was to be paraded. What a party!
From a personal point of view things got better because through the good offices of my best mate I watched the game from the Directors Box and, of course, had access to the Trophy Room after the game. I unashamedly caressed the European Cup and the League Championship Trophy (which we all felt was ours in perpetuity in those days) and wallowed in the success of MY club.
Looking across the room I saw the great man standing in typical pose (immaculate suit, white mac - unbuttoned of course, hands thrust deep in pockets). What made the picture so sad for me was that he was standing completely alone. I had to speak to him but it took me a good 10 minutes to pluck up the courage to approach him. Eventually I ventured past him on my way to the Gents and managed to blurt out to him "this is all down to you Mr. Shankly". "Thank you son" he replied. My comment to him was totally inadequate and the whole episode took only seconds to enact and yet I cant get out of my mind the image of Bill Shankly standing alone during what was at the time the clubs finest hour. 25 years later I think it probably still is our finest hour.

John Martin

Thanks for a great site that brings back many memories of watching Liverpool before moving to Canada in 1979.
My personal favourite will always be the final game of the 73 season, after getting into the city centre at around 11.00 p.m. the night before and only having enough money to get back to Middlesbrough and into the game the next day I found myself walking around Anfield all night with my wife to-be. I can still feel the cold damp night air as we tried sleeping under one corner of the Kop, it was indeed a long night but worth every minute. The next day we were in the great Kop watching our beloved Liverpool clinch the Title.
But the biggest highlite of all was Shanks standing in front of the Kop just a few yards away from us saluting the crowd, that picture will forever stay etched in my mind.
Thanks Shanks.

Ralph Robinson

Keep on telling the world about Shankly. This man made Liverpool Football Club.
I remember seeing him standing on the Kop not long after he retired (I was sitting in the Main Stand). He was clearly visible from a distance because the crowd had made space for him, forming a circle around where he was standing. The respect was immense.
His achievements and charisma will always be remembered as long as Liverpool Football club exist.

Gary Lord

My wife Susan (nee Hamblet) was (I believe) the only girl working at LFC at the time of Bill Shanks and he was like a dad to her. She was very sad when he died. She used to pop-in to the boot-room for a nip of guinness and a chat with, (I think) Bob Paisley. She used to accompany the team on some of their fixtures in the early 60s and has some lovely annecdotes (like shankss favourite rice pudding joke).
Susan used to tell me that everytime there was rice-pudding on the menu in the staff canteen, Shanks would say to her "Susan, you should have some of that rice pudding. Itll put hairs on your chest!" Then he would go off in peels of laughter.
His other joke was "do you like cold rice pudding?" Answer: Yes. Reply: "Well can you come back later, its hot right now."
All very tame stuff now, but it demonstrates his old-fashion sense of fun and innocence of the time.

Brian Mowll

I thought you might be interested in this anecdote from Bills very early days. My mother and her two sisters were brought up in Glenbuck, where their father was the schoolmaster.
They were at the village station one day as was the lad they called Willie Shankly. It was a big day for him he was off to Glasgow to play in a football match. Just as the train was pulling in Bill screamed: `Ma bits (=boots) Ive left ma bits at hame. So he went running up the road to get them. Meanwhile, the train driver was persuaded to hold the train till he came back. Would a driver do that now? No chance.

Frank Beattie

It was May 1971 and I was 12 years old. ALL my relations, mum, dad, aunties, cousins , nan and grandad supported Everton. Naturally they brought me up as an Evertonian and took me to Goodison on many trips.
Despite this I never really felt I belonged, never felt at home. Then one day a girl who was the apple of my eye said she was going to see Liverpool come home from Wembley and would I like to go with her and her family?
"But they got beat didnt they?" I said, suit yourself she said. Anyway I went just to be near her and what a turning point in my life it turned out to be!
When Bill Shankly came out on the platform and addressed the crowd I knew I had found a messiah, a hero, a man who gave supporting a football team colour and depth and PASSION!
I got home and told my dad I wasnt going with him and my grandad and uncles to see Everton any more I was a Liverpool fan from now on! You can imagine how he reacted but it didnt matter, you dont get two Bill Shanklys in a century let alone a lifetime and I was hooked.
I now life in Newcastle but have a Kop season ticket and all my family still live in the pool so I dont miss out. Together with a mate (Phil Mooney) we started the NE Supporters club and called it "Spirit of Shankly" as a tribute to The Great Man. God Bless Him.

Cliff Marsden

The anecdote about Shankly arriving in the dressing room with his shirt torn and his hair ruffled after his visit to the KOP. I was a young boy sitting on the Pulpit wall on the Kemlyn Road side of the KOP. I remember getting to the ground early and watching the kop fill up. I remember looking down and seeing a large gap appear in the crowd front and centre of the Kop about half an hour before the game. It was usually somebody relieving themselves or a scuffle. But then through the smoke haze, i could make out Shanks, arms folded across his chest. I will never forget the buzz that went around the crowd and the moment when shanks raised his hands aloft to an almighty roar before heading back to the dressing room. It still sends tingles down my spine.

Russell Green

In December 1973 I travelled from my home in the midlands to Norwich to watch the match. Arriving there the night before I settled into my lodgings and it started to snow really heavily. The next morning I went down to the ground to see if the match was on, the turnstile gate was open and on the pitch were three men. I recognised Shanks, Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan. I was only 17 but I wasnt going to miss this chance and walked on to the ground as bold as brass. Shanks welcomed me and thanked me for travelling so far on such an awful day. We spoke for what seemed like an age but it was probably only a few minutes. The moment stays with me today. Which is more than the result of the game does.
On the day I watched his funeral procession pass by all I could think about was that big smile and that warm genuine handshake.

Joy Bratherton

We used to stand in the paddock right at the back in front of Shankly, a group of us were there regularly from the early sixties until it was all seating.
Shanks would always talk to us and it was funny hearing him talking under his breath about certain players. "blind alleys" "your going down blind alleys" he would say about Alan Hansen when he would venture across the halfway line. It was true, he would go in a straight line, never move from that line. He would always ask us how many derby tickets we wanted the week before the derby. He would then appear at half time and produce an envelope with the said tickets in.
A hand would come down from the directors box with the tickets, and another would be open waiting for the money. He would never let the tickets go until he had the money. A cagey scotsman.
One day he saw me and my mate outside and said hello, "have you no got a ticket" he said. We replied no we couldnt get one. He then took us through the main entrance past the commissionare and down the tunnel onto the pitch. He then walked us down the track to the place opposite the directors box where we used to stand. "ok guys, climb over and get up to your usual place" He then told us to go to the front entrance after the match and we would be invited to the directors/ players lounge after the game. We had a great time and will never forget the experience, a great, great man.

Paul Tennant

Ive got a personal Bill story, when my dad was a nipper he went to one of his first games with my grandad and their was a load a commotion going on and people were rushing towards a car. After the commotion my dad asked why were all those people going mad and to quote my al fella "someone placed their hand on the top my head and said cos im here son". My grandad then told him it was Bill Shankly. I can listen to my dad tell that story over and over again.

Darren LFC

My dad had the dubious pleasure of being marked by the great Bill Shankly during a match between the Army and Navy in Malta in 1943.
Bill was visiting the island as a RN PT instructor, and a game was arranged between the two services. My old chap endlessly recounts the occasion when having been on the receiving end of several crunching tackles from the great Scot, (there was no love lost between the Navy and the Army, nor the English and the Scots)...
My pop put in a scorching shot from just on the edge of the 18 yrd box, which beat the Navy keeper and just brushed the upright missing the goal. Such was the ferocity of the shot that the ball went a good 35-40 yards beyond the goal. No comment like hard luck mate from Shanks, no, apparently he turned round and loudly said in his dour Scots tone.... make him bloody fetch it..
This is a true story!!

Rob Pearce

Nice site, thanks for putting it up. It was true about Shanks and 5-a-sides, I played with Him as a kid on whats now Shankly Fields in West Derby, and the Great Man was no spring chicken back then but He was the fittest man Id ever seen at the time! And obviously just being that close to Him was an honour. Anyhow the point is there was never a chance if Shanks picked you, that you were going to lose that day even if it got dark! Brilliant days.

Mike Whalley

I was the great mans paperboy during the 70s for 2 years.
My house backed on to Bellefield, some other teams training ground, and opposite was what is now Shankly Playing fields. He was open with the Blue fans as he was with everyone else. He would always stop and chat with them waiting for autographs at the entrance.
Quite a few mornings hed be out when I arrived and hed say hello and chat a bit.
All the stories that are told about him being a man of the people are completely true.
When he retired he walked allot and would often pass my house in Sandforth Road, 2 doors way from Bellefield Training ground. He would stop and chat to the blues supporters waiting for autographs.
If you said hello to him he would always stop and talk.

Dave Threlfall

Most days on the way to school we would greet Bill Shankly with a very reverend good morning Mr Shankly he would reply good morning boys, his gruff voice sending shivers of excitement up our spine.
On the way home, we might be lucky enough to see the great man standing in his garden with his wife Nessie. Whether there, or not, we would always stare at his house as we walked past. If he was there we would ask for his autograph, of course boys, and would present us with signed photos.
He started playing knock about footie with us on a Sunday afternoon at Barnfield (now named The Bill Shankly playing fields). He played hard. I remember arguing, respectfully, that it was our ball, but before I could finish he had taken the throw-in! Yes, every game was important to him.
Then the day, the dreaded day, he had retired! We couldnt believe it. We didnt want to believe it. Walking home from school with tears in our eyes, we bought the Echo. It was true. No homework was done that night!
One of the greatest days in my life was during a games time at school. A red track suited, silhouette in the distance, my name being shouted. Yes! In front of all my mates, Bill Shankly knew MY name and was calling ME over. He wanted to train on OUR playing field and he was asking ME!
A few years later, Bill was to remember us when we were training our Sunday League team at Barnfield, he came over and gave us a Liverpool team kit for all the kids.
How lucky I am to have met Mr Shankly - such a kind, gentleman.

Bradley Moore, Lichfield

On 12 July 1974 I was at school in Sandfield Park, right next to Bill and Nessie Shanklys house. When the rumour spread that Our Messiah had retired incredulity, denial, fear, and a whole host of other emotions ran unchecked through the classrooms. At the end of the day, a day of media frenzy, a group left St Edwards College, walked through the Park and climbed over the wall at the end of Sandforth Close and walked on up to Bills purple front door. Wearing blazers to match, and summoning every ounce of courage, the bravest of our group knocked at the door.
Nessie answered and was asked "Is Bill there, please?" by the 12 year-olds assembled. The great man came out.
"Have you retired, Bill?"
"Aye, son. I have."
"Aah, eh, Bill."
"Aye, son?"
"Aah dont. Please, Bill."
"Aah, Im sorry son."
And the moment ended with Bill signing his autograph on all manner of paper, though not our exercise books or we would all have been in trouble with masters at our rugby playing school who simply wouldnt have understood the significance.
Throughout the next couple of years, whereas you state that Bill visited Bellefield, which is at the other end of Sandforth Close, he was a very, very frequent visitor to our school. He was given permission by the headmaster to use the schools facilities, which were at the time light years ahead of any other school in the city, and we became almost blase about seeing Bill as we went to the gym, the baths, the weights room or elsewhere.
One day during a spring half-term holiday along with the rest of the school cross-country squad I turned up at the school at around 9.30, to find a game of football going on in the playground. Some local boys were playing there along with a couple of my teammates. Obviously I joined in and only then noticed a short haired older man, not resembling any of the teachers. When the ball went into play it was obvious that Shanks was playing too. I had died and was playing in heaven, and to make things better Bill was on my side. He spoke, you listened. He coached and you did as he said. And it worked, too. I have never played as well, and even when it was my turn to go in goal I performed out of my skin. A cross came over and I reached as high as I could and somehow managed to trap the ball against the bar, which was the underside of pillared shed some six foot or so off the ground. One of the other side charged into me. Not prepared to let down my side, most of all Shanks, I struggle to stop the ball from falling over the line. From nowhere Shanks arrived and saved the day. Pushing the boy away he took the ball out of my hands and congratulated me on a good save. He spotted the ball and took the free kick he had awarded himself. As the play developed up the yard he turned back to me and asked if I was OK. I stammered that I was and took a hefty pat of encouragement on my shoulders.
Bill said, "Youre doing well, son", smiled and looked at me playing football in my athletics kit.
He cocked his head to the side and told me "Aye, youve got footballers legs," and took off up the yard to put matters to rights elsewhere. I looked down at my legs, which were indeed very well developed as a result of running dozens of miles a week, and playing all sorts of other sports too. The ultimate hero had just paid me the ultimate compliment a 14 year old could receive. Training that day never took place. The master had no chance at all of getting us off the yard and into a run through Sandfield Park and West Derby. No competition. I was in ecstacy (as I am now writing this and remembering how good I felt for months afterwards).
I heard Bill speak in the Mountford Hall at the University of Liverpool shortly before he died. He said that the worst thing he had ever done was to retire. He said that his mind didnt want to be retired and he felt that he had to keep himself busy or he would shrivel up and die. I cant help thinking that maybe he should have been found a role into which he could have channelled his undoubted gifts, perhaps with children as I had benefitted from his undoubted skills that particular day when he made me feel like a king. Maybe we might have enjoyed his presence in this world for longer, and that would have been to everyones benefit.
God Bless You, Bill. Always remember with extreme fondness. Never alone.

Gerry Crute

I know Ali got "Personality of the Century", but Shanks will always be number one in my book. My father was converted to the red faith (from Glasgow Rangers) in the mid 1960s by the power of this man.
Can I share a story with you.
My late Grandfather was a Liverpool fan all his life. Upon his retirement from the Docks in the late 1960s, he received his season ticket. He was shocked to find that the club had moved from his regular seat to one where he wasnt near the people hed sat with for years, and where hed get wet when it rained.
My uncle took him to Anfield to try and get his old seat back. He explained he had just retired after working down the docks as man and boy. The people in the ticket office were completely unsympathetic, telling him that his seat was no longer available.
On leaving the office, he noticed Shanks walking in. "Bill, Bill" shouted by Grandfather, and the Great Man came over. My Grandfather explained the situation about his retirement, his time down the docks (working every night during the blitz) and a lifetime as a Liverpool fan. Shanks told him not to worry, to hang on and hed sort it out.
Five minutes later Shanks reappeared with the season ticket for my Grandfathers seat, and said "If you have any bother ever again, ask for me."
The man will always be number one in my book.

Colin Watt

I have been an adoring fan of the great man since the early sixties. My california license plate is shankly it is my pride and joy having just acquired it recently. When I was sixteen I had a job on a building site on Utting Ave. not far from Anfield. Every morning at about 10am I would watch out for Bill to drive past in his red Viva. This went on for months without me getting the chance to speak to him.
An event happened which made me realise he was the real thing. After an away game in the midlands in 1964 myself and three of my mates ended up travelling behind the liverpool team bus on the m6 motorway, we had draped a flag with the words Liverpool the cream of Europe on the bonnet of the car. One of my mates had just come up with the phrase and when Bill saw this from the team bus he went bananas, dragging the players to the back of the bus who were having a nice game of cards. Some of the players looked a bit bewildered and none as enthusiastic as Bill.
This incident made me realise how much enthusiasm he had for football and L.F.C. in particular . I did eventually get to speak to the great man at melwood when it was raining cats and dogs, Bill said this place is the worst in the world for bad weather thats the way it was with Bill, it was either the best or the worst and no in betweens. L.F.C. and their supporters must be the luckiest people around, to have known and worked with such a man.

Tony Moogan

Every day Id catch a bus from Huyton to school in Widnes. But the attraction of missing it to watch the Reds train at Melwood just a mile or two sometimes proved a bit too strong. Liverpool were, and still are, everything.
One day, about the third or fourth in a row watching the Reds go through their paces, I asked Shanks for his autograph on the ball that I always took to school for the dinnertime matches. He looked at the uniform and asked why I wasnt in school. I have to say I lied to the Boss and he said: "Youre no use to me or this club if you let yourself down, son. If you want to play here, then you dont cheat and you dont lie."
I never did it again, but sometime later, I did get a trial, put through my own net and nearly died.
Years after, while working for the Sheffield Star, the citys evening newspaper, I was at home in Liverpool. Shanks had passed away and the newsdesk rang to ask me to file a story. I told them that all I could hear were church bells. They never ran the piece, they didnt believe it. They never knew.

Graeme Piper

Firstly an excellent site, well produced and of course with bias, a well deserved subject. I have been a professional player and Coach for the last twenty years in various parts of the world (USA, Bahrain, Australia, Fiji and currently Malaysia) and I have always tried to instill the Shankly philosophies in my players. I was fortunate enough to go to Anfield Road School and never missed a game in the 60s. First in the Boys Pen and then in the Kop. Days you cannot forget.
I was about to embark on my first overseas professional coaching job to Bahrain and I was at Melwood watching Liverpool train to get ideas. I was early and to my shock I saw Shanks running around Melwood. I plucked up the courage to speak to him as it was like meeting "God" I asked him for advice in my career.. His first words were..the most important thing is to learn to make tea!! So go and make me one!!
He then sat with me for about half an hour and he was just like the image. Unlike many of the Football legends I have met in my career he was truly everything he was supposed to be. My current team Johor won the 1998 Malaysian FA Cup and left the dressing room to"Youll never walk alone" Grown men are not supposed to have heroes, but if you love football and were brought up in Liverpool in the 60s you have to have shanks as a hero. His manner and lifestyle and philosophy of football proves that there are more important things in life than money.
Once again congratulations on a great memorial.

Steve Darby

Congratulations on a Fabulous web site worthy of the great man himself. I was fortunate enough to get a cup final ticket of Bill in 1974, after a heartfelt plea to the great man from my lovely mum who died recently.
She is up there now thanking him for the many phone calls we recieved, sparked off as a result of the thank you letter we sent for the ticket.
He actually rang our house on a number of occasions thanking my mum for birthday cards, christmas cards etc she would send him.
I will never forget the occasion i answered the phone to him, the reds had just signed Kenny Dalglish, i asked Shanks what he thought of him GRREEAT player son, was the reply, not a bad judge was he!

Tom Jones

My everlasting memory of "Shanks" was as a young boy attending an amateur boxing night at the Pirrie Labour Club in Liverpool. My father was on the door that night and Shanks was due to do the prize giving.
When Shanks arrived my father jokingly said that he had booked Shanks in for a three round exhibition bout at the end of the night , Shanks quick as a flash in that Scottish Burr replied "My fights dont last three rounds Son".
I suppose you had to be there, but that memory and the Man will live with me forever.
Thanks for a truly great site.

Mark Thomason

As a 8/9 year old my dad would take me to work sometimes, and we would go in the Eaton Rd cafe for breakfast. Shanks, who had retired by then, would be sitting in there and would come right over and keep us there for ages, him talking, us listening. About 4 years later my dad jumped out his van in Old Swan. He said it was lashing down, and who ran up to him and made him take the umberella cos of the rain but Bill."You have not been in the cafe for ages" he said, again my dad protested about the umberella, but Shanks gestured for him to shut up and said "Son, you work too hard and I can go home now and dry off, you still have to work all afternoon. Besides, a few years ago you told me the only mistake I have ever made since coming to Liverpool was resigning. So you just resign yourself to the fact that Im right again and get under the fucking thing."
He then spent another 20 mins getting wet while talking football. My dad said he could see people looking at him thinking why he did not offer Shanks his brolley. At the end of the conversation my dad handed Bill his brolley back and an old lady, walking past at the time told my dad he should be ashamed of himself. Mr Shankly walked away laughing his head off.
I now live in Australia, and the footy team I play for has a trainer/coach who has been at the club for years. He is a mad red, 65 years old and everyone knows him by one name only. SHANKS.
This is a legend that will never die.
You have a great site. Keep up the good work.

Keith Edwards

Shankly was unique and will never be forgotten by all and sundry who had the pleasure to meet the man. He was a Scouser with a Scottish accent, he loved the club, the city and the people. I had the pleasure of meeting him when I was a young kid of 13 or something (circa 1967). I went with a group of schoolmates and we had a kick-a-bout in Anfield car park, when out came Roger Hunt, Ian St John and Gordon Wallace (fringe player)and continued to play football with us. Out came Bill Shankly and we all just ran over to him. I remember just looking at him in awe, and when he gave us his autograph and ruffled my hair, then he got into his car, I was on cloud nine for a long time. I am now nearly 55 years old and live in Malta now and the memory of Bill Shankly will live with me forever.

Lawrence Inder

Thats brilliant, just superb. His memory will always be eternal but thats going to be a great resource for the future.

Stussy - RAWK

Tell you what Arnie... I take my hat off to you mate. You people have put together some fantastic websites. Im impressed beyond words with the depth of knowledge and the amount of work.
Great job, Sir.

Fat Scouser - RAWK

Superb. Amazing seeing that Ian Archer interview from STV. Brilliant.

Royhendo- RAWK

Fantastic effort to all involved . . .
Well done
Will be a regular visitor to the site . . .

shelovesyouyehyehyeh - RAWK

Fantastic site, Karen said she wanted a shrine for her granddad, I think she has got one.
Great work

Vic Gill - RAWK (Shankly's son-in-law)

Some new features as well like Shanks favorite songs. Love it to bits. Well done to everyone who contributed in making this.
Shankly Lives Forever

Carraghercules - RAWK

Very Touching, thanks for such great memories.

mcmahon - RAWK

Arnie, I just want to echo FS comments.
The site is a true credit to you and it is a fitting archive of the man
who made the club what it is.
Congrats mate.

Phil M - RAWK

Not ashamed to say I loved Mr.Bill Shankly. ( Not in that way, steady..)
Unique man. Genius. Supreme enthusiast. Force of nature. Irreplaceable.
Speaking to a Red just this week who had met Mr.Shankly, sadly I never did.
RIP Mr.Shankly. The Heart and Soul of LFC.
We would be NOTHING without you. Too many people forget this simple fact.

Curva Nord '77 - RAWK

For Heavenlys gain so vast,
earthlys lost greater.

nocturnalvin - RAWK

Went for a quick look, two hours ago!
Ive cried more laughing, than Ive done in a long, long time.
The stories and anecdotes are fantastic, what a man !!
Cheer yourself up (especially you negative bastards), visit it now

shanks59 - from the The Liverpool Way forum

Great stuff.The personal stories are fantastic and a real tribute to the great man.
p.s. lfchistory is also completely ace.

That interview is wonderful. The great man, uninterrupted. Hes the reason why I love Liverpool. I saw him in 1968 on Match of the Day being interviewed like that. I asked my Nan who he was and she told me. Liverpool have been my team ever since.
It was a bit sad there at the end seeing how he was treated by the club. So petty.

New York Red - YNWA.tv forum

Im a blue through and through but loved the bones of Shankly (and Paisley for that matter).The story on your site about the self service petrol station made me laugh because circa 1976 ( I was 19) I was in a petrol station in Muirhead Avenue when I noticed Shanks trying to fill up.He summoned me over. "Hello Mr Shankly" says I. "Hello Son, look would you fill this car with petrol for me? I cant stand these bloody things!". I duly did and before he went off to pay he asked which time I supported. "Everton" Mr Shankly. "Ah well son, shows ye can still be a good lad and support Everton!" he replied. Legend is an over stated term these days but I can say I met a true one that day for sure.

Johnny Hughes

Liverpool fc is my life and i owe it all to this man. youll never be forgotten shanks. This great club owes everything to you. Thank you so much. you really are the greatest

Alan Murphy

Well today is of course the day 28 years ago that we lost one of our greatest friends, Bill Shankly, our mentor, our fearless leader who became Mr Liverpool Fc and gave us all the qualities that many of us hold dear today.
He gave us bottle, he gave us the belief that not only could we be the best but he convinced us all that we were the best and then he went on to prove that we were the best, and he left us such a powerful legacy that there will never be another one like him. Sir Bob took over and did a fantastic job, even admitting to failure one year..."when we only came second...!!!"

The invisble man

Today marks the 28th Anniversary of the death of Bill Shankly. Shanks was undoubtedly the single most influential manager in the history of football.
Many could argue that there have been other men who’s contribution was as great if not greater to their clubs. I wouldn’t argue with the facts that there were other great managers who’s name is indelibly woven into the history of many clubs.
Great managers like Stein, Busby, Chapman, Nicholson and our own Bob Paisley, all deserve their place amongst the games elite.
However I say without fear of contradiction that none of these great managers ever had anything like the same effect. None had and more importantly, still have an influence on a club and it’s supporters. None are woven into the psyche and the fabric of a club and it’s supporters like Bill Shankly.
Shankly was the man who brought together so many elements that I doubt we will ever witness the likes of his achievements again. The belief he gave his players and the Liverpool supporters is woven into our psyche with good reason.
It is a benchmark that even now 35 years after he retired from Liverpool Football Club we still judge our team, our players and ourselves against.
Bill Shankly was more than a man who could be relied on for a witty quote or two. He was more than a man who had some success in his chosen field. There have been many men like that.
Shankly was an alchemist. A man who came to a place where he finally found a place where his formulae could work.
I use the term Alchemist simply because by definition it means ‘the art of transformation‘.
As anyone who was a Liverpool supporter when Shankly walked into Anfield for the first time as manager would testify. We were certainly in need of ‘transformation’. In fact even a mild improvement would have been more than expected.
What Shankly ultimately achieved was simply beyond the dreams of even the most expectant, most demanding and most hopeful of supporters.
Not only did this Scottish alchemist turn the common metal that was Liverpool Football Club into a glittering golden icon, but he garnished it with the jewels of pride, passion, humility, honesty and an ethos that would stand the test of time.
Whatever has been achieved by the club owes itself in some part to the efforts and influence of Bill Shankly.
Our most recent taste of that was Istanbul. Without the feeling and passion of the players and supporters who were immersed in the culture of our club a culture that was begun over 50 years ago. I doubt if we would have overcome not only the immense obstacles that not only faced us on the way to that glorious night, but that were placed in front of us, seemingly every step of the way.
So whenever you were fortunate to become a Liverpool supporter. I would ask that today for a brief moment you say a small thank you to the man who gave you everything you hold dear about the greatest Football Club on Earth.
It is said that alchemy is both a philosophy and a practice with the aim of achieving ultimate wisdom as well as immortality, involving the improvement of the alchemist as well as the making of several substances described as possessing unusual properties.
I think it’s fair to say that Bill Shankly achieved all of that and more.
Thanks Boss.

Shanklyboy

The 1st of December 2009 marks the 50th Anniversary of the appointment of Bill Shankly as Manager of Liverpool F.C
My fondness for Liverpool FC goes back to about 1968 when my late Uncle Tom ( Doherty) worked near Warrington. He happened to know Tommy Lawrence who was then Liverpool’s goalkeeper. Tom Doherty knew I was football mad & when I came home from school one day there was a parcel in the post for me. It contained a Football Annual & an autograph book which had been signed by the Liverpool FC squad at the time. That was enough to set the spark!
When Bill Shankly arrived at Anfield on 1 December 1959 Liverpool were in the old Second Division. His first major signings were two Scots centre half Ron Yeats and centre forward Ian St John who were to be “the cornerstones”. He promoted reserve goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence to the first team. By the end of the 1965/66 season they had been promoted to the First Division, won 2 League Championships, were runners up in the European Cup Winners Cup and reached the semi final of the European Cup. In 1965 they won the F.A. Cup for the first time in their history.
Following a shock 0-1 F.A. Cup defeat at Watford in February 1970 Shankly began the process of rebuilding. Tommy Smith, Ian Callaghan, Emlyn Hughes, Chris Lawler and Peter Thompson remained from the 60’s. Ray Clemence, Larry Lloyd, Alec Lindsay, Brian Hall, John Toshack, Peter Cormack and of course Republic of Ireland winger Steve Heighway came into the team. It was a great time to follow Liverpool even if it was only on Match of the Day or The Big Match. At home we had trouble getting a good reception on BBC or UTV which I could see in a neighbour’s house. In those days there wasn’t much live football on TV. RTE usually showed the F.A. Cup Final.
By 1971 Liverpool were back at Wembley again only to lose after extra time to Arsenal in the final. By 1973 they had regained the League Championship and the following year they won the FA Cup for a second time defeating Newcastle United 3-0.
Then the unthinkable happened. Bill Shankly resigned.
Supporters were shocked.
At the time I wrote to him to wish him well & to tell him how much I enjoyed watching Liverpool play even if it was only on TV! Bill sent me on his autograph on a photo of his last Liverpool squad.
I know from all I’ve read and heard & seen about Shankly , that he was football mad, that he loved genuine football supporters, that he was quick witted & worked hard for the supporters of Liverpool and that he was and still is loved by football supporters everywhere. I can understand how footballers like Ron Yeats, Ian St. John, Gordon Milne, Gerry Byrne, Willie Stevenson, Roger Hunt and all the others played out of their skins for him. There were plenty of competitive opponents in the 60’s and 70’s. Teams like Don Revie’s Leeds United, Matt Busby’s Manchester United, Joe Mercer’s Manchester City, Brian Clough’s Derby County and of course neighbours at Goodison Harry Catterick’s Everton.
He attended Celtic’s European Cup win in Lisbon in 1967 where after the game he told his friend and fellow Scot John Stein “John you’re immortal” when Celtic became the first British team to win the competition. Another friend and compatriot Matt Busby won the European Cup with Manchester United in 1968. Shankly was to be frustrated in the European Cup. In 1965 Liverpool held a 3-1 lead after a first leg semi final win at Anfield only to lose the return leg to Inter Milan 3-0 following some controversial refereeing decisions. However many of Bill’s former players including Ian Callaghan (who was at Anfield when he took over in December 1959) goalscorer Tommy Smith, Emlyn Hughes, Ray Clemence, Kevin Keegan and Steve Heighway were there when Liverpool won the European Cup for the first time in their history in Rome in 1977.
Many people believe that Bill Shankly put so much time and energy into the game that he missed it so much after he retired in 1974. Shankly was a fit man but he died on 29th September 1981, in the words of the former Leeds United and Republic of Ireland player Johnny Giles, of a broken heart. .
I have since been to games at Anfield many times and I’ve visited West Derby where Bill Shankly lived. The nearby playing fields have been renamed “The Bill Shankly Playing Fields” A proud Scot yet a modest man who will always be remembered with affection by football supporters and especially those of Liverpool F.C.
A Stand is named after him at Deepdale, Preston North End for whom he played with distinction and a statue outside Anfield remembers him with the inscription “He Made the People Happy” I think that is how he would like to be remembered.
John Boyle

John Boyle

The greatest of all time. Well never forget you shanks. I wish you were walking back into anfield today for the 1st time and starting the magic all over again

Alan Murphy

A really superb Homepage of the God from Anfield.
Y.N.W.A.

Anfield

back in my year this guy was the saint of anfield, the manager we were all waiting for, THANK YOU BILL SHANKLY!!!

Jordan Mandale

In May 1973 Liverpool FC Entered & became a Massive Part of my Life thanks to the One & Only Mr. Shankly (God Rest Him) as he was Interviewed after Liverpool Lifted the League Championship. You could hear the Passion & Commitment in his Gravely Ayrshire Accent as he spoke on TV. Its Unbelievable its nearly 30 Years since The Legend was taken from us in September 1981. THANK YOU MR. SHANKLY - Y.N.W.A.

Gav Cuthbertson

As a proud Scottish person I am so proud of Shanks and his achievements with Liverpool, such a fantastic club with fantastic fans!

Sandy Kerr

I had the pleasure of meeting Bill many times, at first in the late 60,s when i was 10 yrs old. we spent every day at melwood sitting on the wall watching the reds and Bill would let us jump down and sit on the grass watching the training.Afterwards he made sure we all got the autographs we wanted, and he was simply magical to listen to. Over the year we would go to Bills house in Bellefield Avenue, and he would talk on his doorstep to us, and when we played Everton in the f.a. cup semi final at old trafford Bill gave me and my mate a ticket each because we had been let down. Quite simply Bill made me the supporter of the reds that i am today, and i look on him still today as i did then, just like my father, my mentor, and someone who was a caring, kind, and passionate man, the likes of whom i have yet to meet again. r.i.p. Bill you changed my life and hundreds of thousands of others, THANK YOU.

PETER SIMM

My father was company secretary at Huddersfield Town FC when Bill Shankly was manager and I remember as a little girl Denis Law arriving in Huddersfield to be signed up. My father had enormous respect for Mr Shankly and agreed to bring Denis Law home for a feeding up by my mother as both my father and Mr Shankly thought Denis looked malnourished, thin and cold. I remember sitting on his knee and we discovered we shared the same birthday. Bill Shankly was a good friend to my father and they were both very much from the old school. My father died 27 years ago.

Barbara Yandell (nee Galvin)

Shanks quote

Throughout the next couple of years, whereas you state that Bill visited Bellefield, which is at the other end of Sandforth Close, he was a very, very frequent visitor to our school. He was given permission by the headmaster to use the school's facilities, which were at the time light years ahead of any other school in the city, and we became almost blase about seeing Bill as we went to the gym, the baths, the weights room or elsewhere. One day during a spring half-term holiday along with the rest of the school cross-country squad I turned up at the school at around 9.30, to find a game of football going on in the playground. Some local boys were playing there along with a couple of my teammates. Obviously I joined in and only then noticed a short haired older man, not resembling any of the teachers. When the ball went into play it was obvious that Shanks was playing too. I had died and was playing in heaven, and to make things better Bill was on my side. He spoke, you listened. He coached and you did as he said. And it worked, too. I have never played as well, and even when it was my turn to go in goal I performed out of my skin. A cross came over and I reached as high as I could and somehow managed to trap the ball against the 'bar', which was the underside of pillared shed some six foot or so off the ground. One of the other side charged into me. Not prepared to let down my side, most of all Shanks, I struggle to stop the ball from falling over the line. From nowhere Shanks arrived and saved the day. Pushing the boy away he took the ball out of my hands and congratulated me on a good save. He spotted the ball and took the free kick he had awarded himself. As the play developed up the yard he turned back to me and asked if I was OK. I stammered that I was and took a hefty pat of encouragement on my shoulders.

Bill said, "You're doing well, son", smiled and looked at me playing football in my athletics kit. He cocked his head to the side and told me "Aye, you've got footballer's legs." The ultimate hero had just paid me the ultimate compliment a 14 year old could receive. I was in ecstacy (as I am now writing this and remembering how good I felt for months afterwards).